I have repeatedly informed the public, by way of letters in both major newspapers, of the habit of cash-rich government statutory bodies to lend the government its own money while driving up interest rates with their bids.

They also lend these funds on very generous terms to directors and staff for various personal benefits, including the purchase of motor vehicles which are then rented back to the Government under the guise of 'travelling expenses'.

The prime minister has ordered an investigation of all personnel contracts over $10 million, but I can assure him the greatest abuse takes place among the group of persons earning between $4 million and $10 million per annum - a group that is consistently unsupervised. They should start with those entities responsible for monitoring the larger taxable industries like the gaming industry, where three agencies, the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission, the Jamaica Racing Commission and Caymanas Track Limited easily come to mind.

The public will fully support any government that undertakes this long overdue action.

- Wilbert A. Witter

wittybert@hotmail.com

Happy for special needs unit

I am a British-Jamaican who is very pleased to be informed that there is now a special-needs unit in St Ann's Bay, the place of my birth. I am almost 57 years old and left Jamaica for Britain many years ago.

While I was in university doing child care studies, in the special education module we discussed how children with specific needs were treated. One Jamaican student informed us that children with special needs in Jamaica were all locked away by their parents as no one cared for them. I do hope more people read and see that there are provisions for them.

I will retire in a few years and will be living in the St Ann's Bay area, and I do hope to offer my service on a voluntary basis to help others. After all, I have been working with children in this country for many years and would like to be of help to the country I call home.

- Leonie Russell

leonie.russell@hotmail.co.uk

RGD, what now?

On May 6, 2009, I requested a copy of my birth certificate through the Registrar General's Department (RGD) and paid the US$55.00 fee.

As of November 7, 2009, I have not received a copy of my birth certificate.

The minister of government responsible for the administration of the RGD needs to intervene as this situation is untenable.

This appeal is my last resort because I have tried emails and phone calls to the RGD without success.

Peter Harker

Datahark@hotmail.com

New York

USA